the broken butterfly

chapter 7

Marc's POV

He had been walking with Nathaniel for a while when he got impatient, he needed to know what he had wanted to say.

'Wh-what did you w-want to say y-yesterday?'

'Oh, r-right, well, u-uhm. Wh-what I wanted t-to s-say was that, uhm . . .th-that I uhm . . . I've g-got this c-crush on-' They were interrupted by an akumatised person changing Nathaniel into her servant. (A/N: I just want some drama okay, because why not?) Marc fled. Having entered an alley, he saw Ziggy fly out.

'Ziggy, we've got to safe him.' He had no need to say who 'he' was. He transformed and charged straight back. No one was there. He broke the stick in two, which made it become a phone. Having opened the Ladyblog, he saw the villain fight the four heroes in front of the Arc de Triomphe. He ran there as fast as he could. When he arrived, Chat Noir spoke thus:

'Oh, the Capris' corn has arrived.' He snickered a little whilst purring.

'We don't have time for jokes, Chat.'

'But M'lady, isn't it a lucky charm?' Cooed he as she was groaning, Carapace was smiling and Wasp Queen just rolled her eyes.

'Could you please make a plan, Ladybug?' Asked he, intending to end this whole situation quickly and with style.

'I'm working on it. Lucky charm!' She got a life-size toy dog along with an exasperated look. 'Can't this be simple just once?' Murmured she to herself. 'Got it,' said she after a while. 'Okay, Chat, could you destroy that post over there, please? Carapace, protect those citizens. Wasp Queen, try stunning that servant. Capricorn, make him lose the will to fight when I say go.' Said she sending her yoyo out and moving away. Marc inwardly sighed as he moved to above the villain. Why had this happened? He wondered which of the servants was Nathaniel, whether he was the one being stunned, or another.

He shot his eyes to the villain as the pole, supporting flag-lines, was destroyed. He activated his power and got ready. Ladybug stood in front of the villain and shouted: 'Go!' He jumped down, hitting the villain in the head before he could turn. The villain started to run away. Ladybug threw the toy in front of the villain, making him stumble into the stunned servant. She destroyed the akumatised object and purified the akuma.

Having undone anything and everything done by the villain, they shared a fist bump.

'Oh, wait, Chat Noir, can you please bring that boy to the school he goes to?'

'Sure, Capri Sun,' said he whilst taking Nathaniel away. He himself went to the alley where he had transformed, then de-transformed there. He ran to school, meeting Nathaniel halfway there. He threw himself into Nathaniel, hugging him tightly.

'I was so afraid.'

'D-don't be,' stuttered Nathaniel.

'B-but, you were attacked, possibly hurt by this villain.' He couldn't stop the tears from falling out. 'I was so worried.'

'But I'm alright, Marc.' Said he, breaking the hug. 'Hey, y-you know, what I-I tried telling you was, that I l-love you.' His heart beat much faster. He felt ecstatic, throwing his lips onto Nathaniel's. At first Nathaniel was rigid, stiff, but moments later he kissed back. There was a power in the kiss, as if a hunger long kept behind bars was freed. He lost himself in the kiss. They broke apart after a while, being fully winded.

'Could you perhaps c-come over to my h-house?' Asked Marc, being fully aware of the implication, if Nathaniel took it that way, he'd just have to be disappointed.

'Sure,' said Nathaniel whilst leading the way. He hurried to catch up with him, trying his darnedest to keep up.

'C-could you perhaps try to walk a l-little slower?'

'S-sorry,' said he guiltily, but thankfully slowing his steps. He really didn't like speed walking. Having arrived at home, his father was in the kitchen. He looked up from the stove.

'Where's Rachel?' Asked Marc, hanging his own clothes on a clothing peg.

'She's at her home.'

'Why?'

'She's got to care for her mother, her father's passing wasn't kind on either of them, and Rachel is the younger one.'

'Oh, should I help?'

'No, though tomorrow you might want to help.' Said he with a wink. 'Now go on and enjoy your time with the best person of your class I know.' He shooed them out of the kitchen and closed the door to the hall.

'Ah, Marc, and, what did you answer to Nathan- . . . oh, Nathaniel, you're here? Did you tell him?'

'Uhm, yes, Mrs. Anciel, I d-did.'

'So, what did he say?'

'He didn't really say anything, Mrs. Anciel.'

'Oh, I'm sure-'

'This 'he' is right here, you know.' Said he, making them both blush. He let a grin spill onto his face. 'Let's go to my sitting room, Nath.' So they went, leaving behind a content looking mother.

In the sitting room they sat down on the sofa and got comfortable. He snuggled into Nathaniel.

'Shall we go on a date, tomorrow?'

'That's possible, yeah.'

'Like, where?'

'I know a place, meet me tomorrow at seven at my house.' Just before Nathaniel was about to leave, the phone rang. It was Marinette. Marc took it and Nathaniel stayed.

'Hey, Marinette,' said he, 'what's going on?'

'Hi, Marc, is Nath with you? I can't seem to reach him and his parents say he's not with them.'

'Yes, Nathaniel's here.' Said he, putting the phone on loud-speaker.

'Okay, can you put it on loud-speaker?'

'I've already done that.'

'Okay, so, Adrien just called me. He's afraid he's going to be fatherless in a few months.'

'What?! Why?!' Shouted Nathaniel and he in unison.

'His father is showing the same symptoms as he claims his mother had just before she died, but exactly the same.' He looked at Nathaniel. Their friend would be fatherless soon, they would have to find a way to support him.

'We've got to support him.' Said Nathaniel.

'Alya says so, too, but I don't know how.'

'We'll find a way.'

'Yeah, anyway, I've still got to tell the others, so goodnight to the both of you!'

'Goodnight!' Said Nathaniel and he, before hanging up.

'Well, I've still got to go home and eat, so, goodnight.' Said Nathaniel.

'Goodnight, Nath,' said he to the closed door.